Fast Firing and Conventional Sintering of Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramic

Conventional sintering and fast firing were examined as sintering techniques for PZT-5 pressed compacts. Density maxima of 7.42 ± 0.05 and 7.66 ± 0.01 g/cm³ were obtained at 1350°C for conventionally sintered ceramics and at 1300°C for fast-fired ceramics, respectively. Analysis of the ceramic obtained from these two sintering routes showed fast-fired material to possess a three-point fracture strength 33% greater and an average grain size almost 50% less than the conventionally sintered counterpart.